In Nigeria’s turbulent political world, the mood is currently electric following an ultimatum issued by Asue Ighodalo’s legal team to the former Edo State governor and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress to publicly and privately apologise in two leading national newspapers, Vanguard and ThisDay Newspapers.
The controversy arose after Oshiomhole appeared on Arise News Channel, where he allegedly made “irresponsible and unfounded” statements regarding Ighodalo’s candidacy for the September 21, 2024 governorship election. Despite warnings from the programme’s moderators, Oshiomhole allegedly persisted with his insulting remarks, purporting to tarnish Ighodalo’s reputation.
Ighodalo’s lawyers have stressed the gravity of Oshiomhole’s remarks, saying the senator’s actions directly attacked the person, reputation and integrity of their client. Failure to comply with the requirements within the stipulated time frame would result in a N20 billion lawsuit being filed against the former Edo State Governor and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress.
In the face of this development, the Esan Professionals For Progress, a leading socio-political group, has expressed unwavering support for Ighodalo’s decision to pursue legal action. They condemned Oshiomhole’s alleged defamatory remarks and hailed Ighodalo for standing up to what they described as a “dangerous trend of misinformation” in Nigerian politics.
The Esan Professionals have warned of the implications of leaving such conduct unaddressed, warning that it threatens the integrity of the Nigerian electoral process. They called on Oshiomhole to withdraw his statements and tender the requested apology, stressing that his failure to do so would further damage his reputation.
This case raises critical questions about honesty and ethics in politics, highlighting the need to maintain high and respectful standards of public debate. The actions of Ighodalo and his supporters reflect a commitment to integrity and truth in a country where misinformation can often blur the lines of democracy.